Pro-Tips: Practice Like a Pro

Making Your Winter Range Sessions Count

With the shorter days, many golfers spend more time on the range than the course. That’s a good thing—if your practice is structured. I often hear golfers say, “I’m great on the range but can’t take it to the course.” The reasons are simple: flat lies, perfect mats, and repetitive “bucket-of-mulligans” swings.

To make real improvement, your range time needs purpose and quality. Here’s how to practice like a pro this month.

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1. Warm Up the Right Way

A quick stretch helps prevent injury and improves your contact. Focus on:

• Hamstrings

• Shoulders

• Wrists

• Glutes

Start your session feeling athletic—not stiff.

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2. Set Up a Target and Alignment Every Time

Use alignment sticks or a pair of clubs on the ground. After attending PGA TOUR events for over 40 years, I can confidently say: pros never warm up without alignment aids. Neither should you.

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3. Prioritize Quality Over Quantity

Your fundamentals matter on every shot:

• Grip

• Posture

• Ball position

• Alignment

Scottie Scheffler still uses a 7-iron with a training grip during warm-ups to check his fundamentals. If the World No. 1 focuses on the basics, we all should.

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4. Start Small: Short Pitch Shots First

Begin with easy pitches to find rhythm and contact. Then move up the bag.

A great system:

Odd-numbered clubs one day, even-numbered clubs the next.

This prevents you from leaning on favorite clubs—every club should be a favorite.

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5. How to Work on Swing Changes

When pros work on technique, they keep it simple.

My good friend Alex Cejka always starts with a 7- or 8-iron when making adjustments. Once the feel is locked in, he moves to longer clubs.

If he loses the feel, he goes back to the short iron and starts over.

That’s professional discipline.

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6. Take Short Breaks

If you’re losing the feel, don’t force it. Take 20–30 seconds to reset.

Range practice should be thoughtful—not rapid-fire.

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7. Don’t Forget Putting

After 35+ years teaching, one thing is clear: most golfers barely practice putting.

But putting makes up 40% of your score.

Spend time on:

• Short putts (3–6 feet)

• Lag putting (20–40 feet)

Your scores will drop faster here than anywhere else.

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Final Thought

Great practice isn’t about hitting a ton of balls—it’s about building skills that transfer to the course. Focus on structure, fundamentals, and feel, and your winter range sessions will pay off in the spring.